Lighting the Final Candle
A tall man sat upon a smooth stone within a cave. The light emanating from the flames flickered warmly on his face. The flames themselves were roasting two skewers of meat the man had collected earlier. His pale brown eyes scanned the large room dug out of the cave. There were many paths branching off of it leading to many places within the area around Takigaukre. Though the cave system was so well hidden it was rarely found. A small yawn escaped his partially stitched mouth as his eyes continued to scan the room. Besides the many paths the only other real "decoration" was a river running through the room. It was the same river that he had used to demonstrate water release to his student months ago. His head swiveled to the side as he sensed a presence within the cave, his student. The man smiled as he looked down the cave path to see him rapidly approaching, stopping at the entrance to the large room to give a small bow. "Good to see you again Kenta." The man spoke. "Sensei," he responded politely, as he rose from a bow. "I think preparations are well underway. Jouman-san seems to have been settling in well, and we should be ready to go soon. There's a period of peak activity incoming where the highest number of Jōnin will be sent out on missions," Kenta stated, raising his eyes to meet his much taller teacher's eyes. "I'd suggest we make a move then, where resistance will be as minimal as possible; where they'll be forced to spread their forces and we'd have a more solid chance to succeed." He suggested. It had been a few months since Kenta had been taken by Hougou to meet Jouman, and since both Jouman and Kenta had returned to Takigakure. While Kenta returned to active duty, Jouman had re-assimilated his position in Takigakure's Armed Forces, while Hougou had coordinated a majority of their meetings with the rebel forces led by Kenta's mother; in his well defended and hidden labyrinth of caves. So far so good, they were still undercover; but Kenta had been enjoying other things upon his return, which he felt obliged to inform Hougou about. But first he wanted to know how Hougou had been holding up. "What about things on your end Sensei?" "Thats perfect." The man responded with a smile. "I'm glad Jouman is liking his new position." He stood from his rock and pulled the skewers off the fire, handing one to Kenta before ripping into one of his own. His tentacles shredding the grilled meat. Hougou didn't need to eat food, it didn't do anything for him now. However his sense of taste still existed so it was a nice treat. He removed the now bare skewer from his mouth and placed it back in its place. "I'm doing just fine. We've arranged for two groups of rebels to work this operation. One will patrol all the key exits and the perimeter to ensure no one escapes. The other team will do the same but enter the fray if Taki figures out I'm working with the rebels when I create a major distraction." Hougou replied. He then returned to his seat on his rock offering Kenta a spot on an adjacent one. "How's life besides the mission Kenta. You have been having one right?" Hougou inquired. His student hadn't talked much about his life during their training and the man wanted to know. Mostly because he was truly interested in his students daily life but there was a small underlying worry. Hougou never mentioned it but Kenta was deep into the mission, not yet an obsession but it was getting there. Kenta hopped onto the rock and seated himself, taking a quick glance around the cave. It had been his home for two months, and though it was anything else but a five star establishment, there was still a sense of safety and comfort with it. "Ah, about that," Kenta stated with a mild chuckle as he pulled out a bottle of mineral water, sipping it. "The family's been alright, brother graduated the Academy while I was training, same old for dad. I did the usual stuff while preparing for the Jōnin exam, but along the way I met this girl..." He trailed off as he grinned and looked at the vast ceiling. "Never had time for them before this one, but she, she made sure that I gave her time, even though we hadn't even said a word before. I dunno," he paused with a shrug, "I guess fate has its way as well. First mission back from my absence and I get paired with her, and I find out that not only is she smart and good with words; but a lethal fighter as well...like, probably gold standard for Chūnin level. So we got to know each other more and I guess things could happen." He stated this with a chuckle, but then his face went dark. His duty didn't afford him time for these events, but they happened, and he was human after all. But as a shinobi, Kenta would bury these feelings for the mission, as he told himself that if he succeeded, it would be for her own good as well. He snarled as he thought of Takigakure's power hungry leadership, concocting bizarre experiments on kids just to create super soldiers. Megalomania and a thirst to be acknowledged as a military superpower. Every Takigakure citizen knew that their force paled in comparison to the likes of Konoha or Kumo, and the other three Great Nations would mow them down militarily as well—but Takigakure's limited force had the skill to make sure that such a victorious enemy encounter would not end without great cost. They had taken pride in that, and were respected for that, but they wanted to be bigger than that now. They wanted to use this force of Pseudo-Jinchūriki to bring the Allied Forces to their knees. Greedy, power hungry, sickening bastards taking the helm and Kenta was trying to stop them; while feeling the warm summer breeze of infatuation. It shamed him how human he was. Hougou smiled for his student. Luck had shined upon him within his first days back. "That's wonderful Kenta, tell me about her. What's her name? What's her story? How close are you guys?" Hougou sounded like a kid but he really didn't care. He was over a hundred and eighty years old and he was damn well excited for his student. Though he did notice the small period of darkness on Kenta's face after he spoke so excitedly to him. He was probably still thinking about the mission. He was a good kid but from what Hougou knew ever since he met his mother his sole intent had been the mission. That was one of the reasons Hougou decided to let him stay, the kid needed some guidance. Hougou thought he had done pretty damn well but Kenta was clearly still turing the mission over in his head. Thinking up new angles and trying to plan it more and more on his own. Before Kenta could even speak again Hougou spoke up. "Kenta I can see what you're doing. You need to stop this obsession with the mission. Right now it's not about those bastards in the Taki elite. It's about you and this girl and those jonin exams. You need to relax more and think less. Trust me I know how bad it can get." Hougou finished, clearly making it heard that whatever he experienced would not be brought up. "Anyways tell me about her. I'm excited for you." The smile returned to his face. "I wish I could stop thinking about it Sensei, I really do...but it's different now," Kenta stated as he shook his legs, his eyes fixed on the ground, before they finally turned to Hougou. "I want to honestly say something along the lines of me being back to where I was before I met my mom again; serving Taki just because I blindly hated what she had done, the black label she had plastered on my family after what she did, but..." He shook his head before continuing, "...they actually played my mother as the villain, and they'd have just continued with all this nonsense if nobody has stopped them. It's hard to even forget for just a moment that people like this are around us. People like that," he grimaced as a cold look passed his face, just for a split second, "People like that need to be stopped." But he let these words out and followed them up with a brief exhale. He calmed himself. "But it's your advice, and though debatable, your advice hasn't let me down these past months. So I'll follow it again." He relaxed now, freely able to tell Hougou about the girl. "Her name's Amemori, Inoue Amemori. I took the leisure of snooping through her files. Graduated the Academy a while after I did, started making her name as a Chūnin shortly before I did, solidifying her presence in my absence while I trained. Highly skilled in Ninjutsu and Taijutsu, very sharp intellectually as well. In short, she's the Jōnin-to-be that Takigakure would cherish most." He let out a suppressed chuckle, reminiscing on the means by which he procured his information. "Seeing that we haven't known each other for too long, I don't know too much about her personal life though, but I know that her parents died when she was an infant. Grew up in the orphanage it seems, and got inducted into the Academy after the annual village wide aptitude tests. That seems to be all she had, or was willing to share, but I guess I don't mind at the moment." Another pause. "It's what she is that truly interests me, she's open and sociable enough; knows how to make herself a wanted presence—but there's still that mysteriousness hanging around her, and though she can hide it well enough from the others, she can't hide it from someone who's used to the same character." Kenta stated calmly, referring to himself. Whatever Inoue Amemori had in her past was hers and hers alone. If she wanted to share it, she would, but Kenta didn't hold that in importance—after all, he liked it when commoners didn't bring up his past. But Hougou's youthful enthusiasm had gotten Kenta curious. "Say Sensei, I've heard about your days as the Ripper, and your days as a shinobi—but y'know, you haven't told me about your, well—" he waved his arms around in a circle, "—your guy days. A lover, or a love story, or a crush? You've been around for almost two hundred years, wasn't there ever anybody? I mean, it looks like you may have had someone." He stated, his curiosity getting the better of him. "Thank you Kenta." Hougou responsed, eagerly awaiting the information about her. Kenta went on to tell him all about this girl, Inoue Ameori. He wanted to interrupt multiple times but stopped himself. When Kenta finally finished Hougou stared at him before sighing. "Kenta never ever snoop on people you like. That is the number one way to fuck things up. Second I taught you to help you stop a corrupt government not steal info on girls you like." His face was stern for another moment before his smile once again returned. "But whats done is done. Just don't go blurring information she hasn't told you." While he spoke Hougou was analyzing what he actually knew about the girl in his mind. "Hmm so she's top of the class, huh, interesting. She's also an orphan huh. Orphans usually don't get that powerful without some inherent power. Kenta also noticed a mysteriousness huh. This is definitely some sort of power we don't know about. He best be careful. Hoagie's thoughts ended and he produced his analysis. "This girl sounds interesting but you best keep your guard up. I'm not quite sure yet but whatever she's hiding is big. Anyways we can't let her pass you up now can we. I think I have just the hellish regimen for you." The man smiled with delight. However Kenta's next words caught him by surprise. Hougou stood from his seat and walked to the river, staring into the running water. "Once but it was long ago." The man spoke solemnly. His past was a hellish mess that he really didn't feel like sharing, however after everything that happened he could at least let his precious student know. He continued to stare into the running water but spoke. "Long ago before all my deeds as The Ripper I was simply a skilled shinobi of Takigakure. I worked as a Jonin and did my best to please the village that saved me. During that time I was just getting used to my kinjutsu. It didn't exactly manifest properly and was more emotionally controlled than mentally, so I didn't use it much. During my morning jog for some tea I absentmindedly knocked a woman over. I jumped to help her up and apologized. Her name was Reikou. She was a lovely woman, golden eyes and soft snowy hair. It turned out that she was also a Jonin in Taki. I offered her some tea as an apology for the accident and she accepted. I didn't see her for about a week but I was thinking about her. The next mission I took was S-rank and required a team. By pure luck Reikou was assigned to our team. We travelled to the land of lighting to take out an army they were building on their borders but we were ambushed. Our group split up and again to my luck me and Reikou were together. Had never been shy about being a monster until that very day. Though it was more important for us both to live than if she cared what I was. I released my kijutsu and began ripping our enemies to shreds with my threads and my blade. Surprisingly Reikou didn't even flinch, jumping through my tendrils and slicing enemies to bits with blades of frost. After the fight we learned we were the only two left besides our captain and made our way back, half of their forces were destroyed but we were in no shape to continue. After that mission we began working together more and more, an inseparable duo. Soon our camaraderie turned to love and we began to date. We went on for about a month until I invited her to meet me in the forest. We sat under a lone sakura tree and kissed for the first time. It was wonderful and amazing and it filled me with so much emotion that. Well my shirt felt wet and as I broke the kiss I looked to se her impaled with thousands of tendrils. She was so sweet, never even blaming me as she died. Others blamed me though, I was lucky I was so important. Taki knew they couldn't afford to lose me so they suspended me for a month. The villagers didn't really like me either but they knew what I was capable of and simply shunned me. I lived in agony for years and stopped using my kinjutsu more and more." Hougou stopped and turned back to Kenta. A manufactured tear streamed down his cheek, ever since he became a monster he couldn't cry. "This kinjutsu is extremely powerful but It constantly tires to rob you of everything you love. Even when I could finally control it It still tried." His voice was static. Kenta nodded as Hougou responded to the topic of Inoue. "You're right sensei, I've always got a feeling that she has skeletons in her closet—but I guess that's where the real snooping begins," he stated with a sly smile. But even he knew that whatever it was that Inoue seemed to keep locked up, had motivated her rise in terms of shinobi prowess. But her past was second to the mission, and both men knew that. Kenta listened as Hougou opened up about a woman in his past, a lover. While he didn't show it, Kenta had to admit that he was surprised. Hougou had always seemed to have hidden facets and portions of his life that he rather would keep hidden, but while he recalled this tale, Kenta saw an emotion he hadn't exactly seen from Hougou. Happiness. Sure, he had seen Hougou's antics up close, his brash and childlike hyperactivity and enthusiasm, but he'd always been able to see that Hougou was creating those emotions. They weren't exactly real, just responses that Hougou put in motion to alleviate the mood, and thus in accordance to Hougou's own testimony on the side effects of both his tenure as the Ripper as well as his Kinjutsu, Kenta had initially believed that Hougou felt nothing. A false impression, that had been. The emotions and expressions were still very much put on, and manufactured...but Hougou was actually feeling it even if he himself was unaware of it, after so much suffering. Joy. And the the subsequent sorrow. But even as the false tear trickled down and Hougou again shifted his visage to artificially 'keep the mood running', Kenta knew that this was still something that Hougou carried with him through the centuries. And probably would carry until the day he stopped existing. Kenta dropped his head as a silence hung after Hougou finished his words. "I'm sorry to hear that sensei." Kenta finally spoke, "All this time I truly believed that the Jiongu had been a manifestation of its user's will, but I never expected it to be so innately..." He stopped for awhile as he thought about the strings Hougou so cleverly and effortlessly manipulated. The strings that had made Kakuzu a walking, feared legend, and then a dead boogeyman. "...evil." Kenta finally finished his hanging sentence. Even now apparently, Hougou literally fought his demons. Kenta briefly thought of his own experience with Hougou over the many months. Just when he thought he knew Hougou a little better, something else came out that redefined how he thought of Hougou. And when he heard just how much Hougou actually dealt with behind a loss of emotional perception, a living Kinjutsu, extended isolation, tragic loss and a vicious past; his respect for the ancient shinobi only grew. Here was the husk of a man who had abandoned his humanity, but actually faced a lot more than any person possibly should. Life has a cruel way of toying with people, and among these ironies lives Hougou-sensei, Kenta thought to himself. "Oh no it is a will but not the user's current will." His voice echoed through the cave. "I believe that the Jiongu was created by my will long ago. When I lay on a table dissecting myself to perform a surgery I died. When the surgery was completed by those who saved me I lived again though. It was an odd thing to think about. Though I was filling my body with these specialized strings based on my newer research they shouldn't have done anything. However I believe that when the surgery was completed they worked and gave me my life back because they took on my will at the time. They were filled with the dark greed for puppetry, my extreme belief that the process would work, and the thoughts of not wanting to die we all have before we bite the dust. That will created those strings that you see today and those that you saw in Kakazu. I have my own will that can overpower the will of those strings but that was after a long time. Their price is power for your mind, they want to obtain hearts, they want to kill." Hougou stopped to let his words sink in. His power was a truly terrifying one, a semi sentient being born from his own will. It brought isolation for those who tamed it and death to those who bowed to it. "I can see it in your eyes Kenta. do not fear for me. My days of losing control are long past, these strings finally bowed to me after my days as The Ripper. I won't lose control again." The cavern now had an air of gloom to it, something Hougou no longer wanted. "Kenta tell me about the Jonin exams, you're competing right?" He inquired. Kenta soaked in the information on Jiongu like a sponge. He nodded and went with Hougou's words, but he took in more and more about the Kinjutsu, keeping it in his head. Power at the cost of sanity. It seemed like a cruelly fair exchange considering that power was always granted at the cost of something. For some, power was attained by loss. Others, gained power at cost to their health. Many others sacrificed humanity for power. Kenta straightened in response to Hougou's question. "Yeah, I'm taking part. The first rounds start soon, and Takigakure's conducting it differently this time," he said as he clasped his hands together, shaking his feet on the rock. "They're calling in prestigious shinobi from other villages to act as guest adjudicators, and they're making it as contest-like as possible. Rather unusual considering how things are usually done around here. Add that up to the huge screening process Taki carried out before selecting the participants for the Jōnin Exams and I'm led to believe that they're flexing their power and the power of their incoming in front of esteemed shinobi. When news reaches the villages from the audience as well as top ninja on how high the quality of this crop is, Taki reaps the benefits of a strong foundation for its military. They want to be feared before they start their revolution," Kenta stated with a serious tone. "But anyway, I think I've prepared well enough sensei. You've guided me well and taught me a lot that I couldn't personally have picked up from others. I'm truly grateful," he said with another bow, though seated. "You're very welcome Kenta." Hougou responded. "You were an astounding student, rivaling even Jouman in progress over time. In just these two short months you've grown so much." Hougou then stopped to address other matters. "The Jonin exams this year are truly something aren't they. I doubt they'll even do a preliminary, probably just a death match in a closed off jungle. No cameras or eyes, just shinobi murdering each other as they progress through. Then they'll have the contest rounds after that." Hougou stood from his seat and walked to the river. "Kenta you brain may help you but raw power and skill is what you need here. This exam is going to be bloody and you need it on your hands rather than yours on theirs. I want to test you one last time, just to make sure." With those words finish the rock beneath Kenta shot back, stopping right as it reached the river and catapulting him in. "Now use that water and show me how far the first thing I taught you has come." The man spoke, a smile creeping onto his face. Within his mind he wasn't sure if Kenta could take the exams. With normal shinobi he wouldn't have a problem but this exam held top tier shinobi. Groomed and endowed with hidens and kekkai genkai, these shinobi were far more powerful than normal. If Kenta was not strong enough Hougou had one more idea. It was a longshot and something he didn't want to do. But he would propose it and it would be Kenta's choice. With a quick nod Kenta's fingers had already started moving, as his legs spread out away from his centre. Manipulating the water in the river with just his chakra, he infused it into his being, as the waters rose to his will. Instantly a vicious swirl of water began to rotate quickly around Kenta, as the swirl turned into a miniature tornado of water. The sound was high pitched as it filled the cave with a screeching ring, as the water completely covered the young man from all angles, continuously swirling as an all direction defence with him at its centre. Kenta grinned to himself as the waters roared around him. Having only average reserves, he still couldn't simply conjure water out of nothing—and he still had a lot to learn; but with his training, he was now able to manipulate sources of water to do his bidding while also applying considerable shape transformation to his Water Release. Kenta had refined his chakra control and precision while training, and he had worked industriously on it in the moments Hougou had given him rest from his own gruelling (albeit rewarding) regimens. All Encompassing Water Dome. As this great sphere lashed around him, Kenta applied the finishing touch. With a single dragon hand sign, he bent the water as it swirled, causing it to contort as three dragon heads of water emerged from the orb. The dragons extended outwards around the sphere, pronged to strike a makeshift target; contorting and twisting continuously outward. Hougou nodded as the beast formed around Kenta. His student had truly made much progress but even three heads wasn't enough. The original technique was a minimum of five regenerating heads and S-ranked, at most this was a low A-rank technique. Kenta's water release was powerful but he needed sources. These people he would fight would need no source. They were years ahead of Kenta in training even with the progress he made. Hougou made his decision. "Kenta I'm going to be honest with you, even at your level you will die or be gravely injured. These exams are going to be brutal and filled with well groomed shinobi with hidens and kekkei genkai. Their experience and training will outdo yours even though you accomplished much here there were others training longer. With a year I would say you could beat them but not now." Hougou sighed, he really didn't like this idea. "This brings me to a proposition. You've been a great friend and student so I don't like this idea but It might be your only way to move forwards. I'm offering you the Jiongu. I can modify it and made it different, it can blend in. However this is your choice alone, I'm not going to force anything on you and if need be we'll fake an injury to get you out of this exam." Hougou stopped and looked at his student, awaiting his answer. The technique crashed back to the ground as Kenta willed it, bringing an end to the Jutsu. Kenta nodded as Hougou spoke, as it was obvious; he wasn't fully ready for the Exams. They didn't have enough time, and considering that it was a show of force from the leadership, the competitors weren't going to be push overs. Kenta had improved himself as much as he could, but fundamentally he would still require more time to actually get in and get out without running a high risk of serious injury—or death. He accepted this, but what came next from Hougou drained the colour from Kenta's face. Jiongu. Kenta had often asked himself how it would be to bear that frightening maze of threads in his body; but if the appearance of the vile technique didn't bother him, the complete alteration of his body's anatomy always bothered him. But when Hougou had brought out the further sides of Jiongu, Kenta realised that it was truly a curse to hold; a sickening contortion of what it meant to be alive. Immediately his mouth moved to form the word no, the very thought of harbouring something that pulled him to lash out and harm his loved ones sickened and terrified him; but before the words left his mouth, he stopped short. Hougou was looking at him quizzically, but both men knew what this was. It was literally a deal with the devil. Kenta's desires would have to be met with certain sacrifice, sacrifice to attain the power needed to complete the task. Sure, Kenta would have the necessary power if he trained for a few years with Hougou—but nobody had the luxury of time. Kenta shook slightly as his still colourless face contemplated the option, beads of cold sweat forming on his forehead. But then he forced himself to calm down. He needed to be a Jōnin, he needed the knowledge and authority that the position granted, he needed things to be easier to maximise the success of his mission, he needed to get the mission done. Jōnin at Takigakure had surprising abundance of access to troop positions, classified documents and buildings...Kenta could easily plan the Vipers' as well as his and Hougou's moves to strike according to the way Takigakure set up their defences on the day of battle. He would also be able to directly access an effective date when a majority of the village's best fighters were away from the village. Yes, Chūnin and any member of the village would know roughly when the village was emptiest militarily; but Taki weren't morons—they always kept elite soldiers stationed around the village when their numbers were lowered. Jōnin had direct access to personnel rosters and booked missions. As a Jōnin, Kenta would and could pick an attack date where a majority of the village's true elite and a satisfactory number of military personnel were out carrying out their duties. But only as a Jōnin. The Jiongu didn't guarantee success in all these goals, but it damned well increased his chances exponentially. As the two of them stood in silence, Kenta knew that this would be one of the most decisive moments in his life; and that it was time to act like a real shinobi would. His inner voice was still screaming at him to say no, but the logic was undeniable. And he followed the logical course of action. Steadying his voice he spoke. "There's no way I'm pulling out of this sensei. We've come too far to back down. Takigakure's future depends on this, as do the lives of millions of people. I need to be a Jōnin for this to work, I need the information they receive and their authorisation status in the military ranks. If I get out of this exam now, and slog it out as a Chūnin, I may still succeed in the initial phase of the mission—but the Jiongu increases the odds on my side greatly. For both the upcoming battle and those that will follow." He paused as he closed his eyes, exhaled, straightened up and opened them again. "I'll do it. I accept the Jiongu. Please begin the procedures as soon as you see fit, sensei." Desperate times called for desperate measures. Kenta accepted this as he continued. "When everyone else...you, Jouman-San, mom, and all the others...when all of you give so much for the cause, I can't afford to back away out of fear. I'll do it." He finished, with grim determination, as he clenched his fists. Hougou sighed, his eyes wandering away from his student and into the ever-present darkness of the cave. Hougou had figured Kenta would accept his proposal, even if he didn't want to believe it he knew he would. His eyes shot back to Kenta as he walked over to his student. Though he was not crying pure sadness filled his eyes. He bent to one knee and enveloped Kenta in a hug. "These are your last moments as a true human Kenta. I'll see you on the other side." Hougou spoke as a massive jolt of electricity shot through Kenta, shutting his body down completely. Hougou stood and picked up his protege in his arms, carrying him through the winding maze of tunnels. At last the two came to a large white door that Hougou opened with his threads. The room was large and white, unfitting for a cave. It was however a model of Hougou's lab long ago with a few added accessories. He lay Kenta down on a large white table and prepared for the procedure. Threads looped around the boy's limbs, acting as makeshift straps. Hougou then forced more of his threads to shoot into the boy, creating many holes on his body. As the blood drained from Kenta, Hougou turned away. He was steeled for all of this. He murdered thousands but this was different. This was his precious student, someone who had given his life of solitude meaning again. It was hard for him to watch but he moved forward. If his student was to come back from death he needed to push on. Hougou swiftly moved to another table where the project was already waiting. Red threads sat shining in the light, their color matching the crimson blood that was slowly coating the floor. Hougou grabbed a handful of them and walked back to Kenta, this would be the worst part. With a sickening symphony of sound Hougou's threads ripped Kenta's own heart from his body, now time was a factor. Hougou swiftly entangled the threads with Kenta's own heart, the red melding with red. He then grabbed the remaining threads and steeled himself as he shoved them into the empty hole in Ketna. He willed his own threads the grab them, pulling them though ever vessel in the boy, his hellish stitching finally came in handy. He then connected the red threads still sticking out of his students chest to his heart. He then placed the heart back within Kenta's chest, pressing the flesh back together as he went. Now was the final step, Hougou grabbed another batch of threads, flesh colored ones, and stitched the holes together. To 90 percent of those who looked upon him, Kenta seemed to be completely normal. Hougou then placed his hands on Kenta's head and released another jolt, restarting his body, reviving him from death. "Kenta, Kenta can you hear me?" Hougou showed from beside his student, he held Kenta's left hand, constantly checking his pulse. The last thing Kenta felt as a human being was electricity coursing through every inch of his body, as the whole world turned to blackness in front of him. In this vast blackness, there was nothing but cold. Cold and fear. Am I...dead? This was the question that rang in Kenta's head. He knew what was possibly happening now. Hougou had probably initiated the process. Kenta could recall how Hougou had told him about the process of acquiring the cursed Jiongu. But there seemed to be no way out of this black world, which begged the next question: maybe Hougou had failed after all? But then the whole dark world exploded into light— white, pure light. Kenta's black world was replaced by a dazzling white world, with white roses all over the pale floor. He looked up and a clear blue sky had taken form. What the hell, is this place... His mind wondered, but he snapped out of this as a mild rustle behind him caught his attention. Instinctively his hand reached for his weapon, but there was nothing strapped on him. He had nothing on him, just a white singlet and shorts. But he had now turned to face the source of the noise. His eyes widened in shock as he realised that there was a woman in front of him, probably of his age. She was extremely beautiful, with straight dark long hair, sharp features and a slender, graceful physique silhouetted by a flowing peach dress. "This place, is our little universe," She stated as her thin red lips parted, "You and I are going to have our fun moments here...Kenta Kanata," she stated with almost a leer, followed by a sinister smile. Kenta was taken aback that this woman had read his thoughts, but it didn't take him long to realise something was amiss. Her radiant beauty wasn't angelic, but terrifying. This world and her clothing weren't pure and demure, they were veils to hide some grave danger. So Kenta kept calm as he always did. "I won't even question how you read my thoughts so I'll cut the bullshit," he stated as his eyes met hers; noticing that her eyes were a beautifully glowing, rare blue. The same colour as his own eyes. He scowled as he posed his next question. "Who are you?" As the question came at her, she roared in laughter; which was shockingly ladylike—but no less malevolent. Kenta didn't like this one bit, especially as she composed himself and eyed him with a frightening glare. "I'm whoever you want me to be, but I think you already know who I am," she whispered, seating herself and smiling at him one more time, with a wink. And she was correct, Kenta had a sense of foreboding from the moment he first saw her. Part of him wished that Hougou had failed, but apparently the opposite had happened. As expected of someone with as much knowledge as him. With that wink; the white world and it's beautiful inhabitant shattered as Kenta opened his real eyes. He roared out as the pain got to him; a sickening tearing feeling at every inch of his body, inside and outside; bolting upright and he breathed rapidly. He looked around; seeing the cave, then Hougou, then a bloody floor that looked like three people had been decapitated there. His bulging eyes gradually retreated into their sockets as he calmed himself down. He looked at Hougou. "Sensei," he coughed a little as he further composed himself, "It's done isn't it?" He wanted to say I've met it, I saw Jiongu, but he wanted to hear the words from Hougou himself first. "Oh thank god you made it." Hougou sighed with relief, hugging his student, before helping him from the table and guiding him to an adjacent room. It was large and entirely white, most likely a training room. "I'm going to explain this to you now. The Jiongu I placed in you is a modified one to allow for you to blend in extremely well. Your entire bloodstream and most of your heart are now the Jiongu." He paused to let it sink in. "This special form allows for you to will the blood to explode out of you in tendrils and then form those tendrils into what you wish. The tendrils will automatically seal the wound they create upon shooting out of your vessels when they recede. Your body will still function as normal and you will still need to eat and sleep but your blood is now liquid Jiongu. You cannot have more than one heart but your's can be replaced, provided i've tinkered with the heart you're putting in. The tendrils you can create are also much more close range than mine but they can still pack a punch. They can break metal if bundled tightly and can congregate in area's you are about to take damage to minimize or negate the blow." Hougou stopped and quickly created three humans out of water, training dummies. "We're going to need to make sure that you can keep the tendrils from erupting from yourself unwillingly but for now I want you to get used to using them." The man finished. Kenya nodded as he staggered. The three dummies were lined directly in front of him, as he approached slowly. He stretched out his palm and willed it. An immediate buzzing noise filled his ears, like a hundred different whispers, but three strings of red erupted from his wrist, flailing wildly in the air. Kenta forced himself to concentrate as the pain intensified and the buzzing worsened. In a moment, all three appendages lashed forward at one dummy, hitting it straight in the chest, as the appendages split left and right. They bisected the other two dummies and quickly receded to him, reentering the arm. However, his other hand suddenly twitched, as more red strings blasted outwards all of a sudden. Kenta struggled through gritted teeth as he urged them to reenter his arm, his clenched teeth chattering as the buzzing became deafening now. He understood what Hougou said now, they were immensely difficult to control. Getting on his knees he willed himself ferociously to suppress it, but it was terrifyingly difficult. "Sensei," he said through clenched teeth as the appendages whipped forward, "there...was...someone...while," another steep intake of breath as he tried to hold the appendages in, "while I was...dead....a girl...in this white kind of place, and it said...it was whatever I wanted it...to be...but something always felt..off, is that what I think..." He was interrupted by the strings, but this time he rallied with a great shout, pulling the strings back in him, before collapsing out of exhaustion. He painted heavily while awaiting Hougou's response. Hougou watched as Kenta sliced through the clones like butter, it already looked easy for him. Hougou was then punished for even thinking that. Kenta recoiled and fell to his knees in an attempt to suppress the whirling mass of threads. As he struggled to pull himself back together he shouted something out to Hougou. Something about a girl in his head and if it was what he believed it to be, the Jiongu's will. Hougou knew it well but it had never manifested like that towards him. It was an odd thought but it could be possible that those who were not him saw visions rather than hearing voices. The will was his own after all so it was only fair to think its effects would be lessened on him. Plus Hougou was much older than Kenta when he received the Jiongu. His thoughts were interrupted as the threads flew into Kenta's body and the boy collapsed on the ground. "Kenta are you okay?" He shouted rushing to his student's side. He helped him up to a sitting position and sat next to him. "So Kenta that was your first taste of the Jiongu, powerful but reckless huh." Hougou chuckled, attempting to bring light back to their world. "Now I heard you say something about a girl in your head and that you think it's the Jiongu. Now I'm not 100 percent certain but it does seem highly plausible. The Jiongu does posses a will of its own so it manifests as something but I assumed it would be a small voice. Apparently people who aren't me see full vision of an entire persona created by the Jiongu." Hougou would need to look into this further but that was for another time. "Right now Kenta we need to work you more to get this under reasonable control before the exams. If this pops out during it your whole family might be killed for treason. My infamy is quite horrible indeed." The man spoke. Kenta shuddered at the thought of the discovery of his Jiongu. Taboo of the highest degree, the death sentence as a punishment. That was the last thing he needed, his family being executed as a result of his own lack of control. The other things would have to wait—the Jōnin Exams would have to come first, and he'd have to learn how to suppress Jiongu effectively enough with a fixed period of time left. He nodded at Hougou, "I agree sensei, we'll have to focus on that first," he said. But inside, Hougou words from earlier echoed in his head, together with that recent outburst with his Jiongu, and the seductive whispers of the manifestation of Jiongu in his mind—they all represented a very real fear that this Kinjutsu could take control of him, just like it overpowered Hougou to kill his lover; and just how (Kenta suspected) it had swayed Kakuzu into becoming a greedy, wounded man who committed such atrocities on a regular basis. Considering just how much influence it would possibly exert on him, Kenta decided something, as he turned to look Hougou directly in the eye. "Sensei, you've gotta promise me something," he said, as grim reality set in, "I don't know for sure whether I'll ever be able to control Jiongu, but for the sake of everything and everyone I care for..." He paused. Kenta took a deep breath and continued, "...if I ever lose to that thing, if you ever see it coming, kill me yourself. Not anyone else, just you. And don't ask me for my permission then, or even inform me. Just make the decision and execute me. I need you to promise me, right now." Kenta hated to sound like he was fighting a losing battle but upon hearing everything he had today, he knew it would be all too possible for this to happen. Considering how attractive a form the Kinjutsu had adopted when it manifested, Kenta knew that it was somehow appealing to his subconscious, and while he couldn't prove it, he felt it. And Hougou would have to know what he truly wanted, should all else fail. This was Kenta's steely determination, and he would not make or repeat this request another time. Hougou stopped for a moment, pausing to look at Kenta. His words were powerful to the old man. "Kill me yourself. Not anyone else, just you." The words echoed in Hougou's mind. He figured if Kenta ever went out of control he'd be the one to take him down but he never expected Kenta himself to ask it of him. "I see." Hougou respond, still trying to get the right words. Kenta was determined to be put down by none other than his own hand. The old man smiled a little, a grim smile. "If you ever lose control I'll make sure your heart is ripped out by me. I'll make it quick and painless." Hougou spoke, nodding to his student. He then stopped before creating another circle of water clones. "For now though lets finally end this grimness. You're alive and well and we're going to make sure that Jiongu never controls you." He shouted with vigor. "Now start killing until you lose control, then gain control and keep killing." Hougou leaned against the wall as his student got to work. That very same student who walked in months ago. That very same student who he decided to take a chance on. That very same student that exceeded his expectations again and again. "Kenta you'll be fine. You'll save Taki and go on to live a prosperous life. Kenta you'll get the girl of your dreams and be fine. Kenta you'll master the Jiongu." His mind raced with thoughts he wanted to say, words of warmth and comfort for his student. He could not speak them though, they were possible futures but as time went on some grew dimmer in favor of darker ones. The old man woke from his mind to watch his student, smiling as he ripped clones to shreds. Right now the final candle was lit and the world was bright, the uncertain future could wait.